Mathison 1

Crystal Mathison

Professor Harris

Written Communication

15 October 2018

A Solution to Food Deserts: Micro Farms

In the United States, about 23.5 million people live in food deserts, low-income areas

with limited access to affordable, healthy food such as fresh fruits and vegetables (United States

Department of Agriculture). Residents of food deserts often have poor diets and related health

problems, including diabetes and heart disease. Most food deserts are in cities such as Detroit,

Milwaukee, Phoenix, and Oklahoma City (Johnson). However, living in a rural area does not

guarantee an abundance of fresh food options. In fact, the United States Department of

Agriculture (USDA) reports that around 2.3 million people, or 2.2 percent of all U.S. households,

live in low-income rural areas that are more than 10 miles from a grocery store.

A recent trend in agriculture called micro farming presents a possible solution to food

deserts. A micro farm is a small-scale farm that uses less than five acres of land to raise

vegetables, fruit, nuts, herbs, mushrooms, and even small livestock (Movahed). Because micro

farms are compact, farmers do not need to invest in expensive equipment such as tractors and

harvesters, but can use hand tools to manage their plots. Rather than relying on harmful

herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers, micro farmers use organic methods such as

composting that build the soil and encourage plentiful harvests. The aim is to build a sustainable

ecosystem that promotes growth (Ames). For example, composted soil uses worms to process

waste, add fertilizer, and serve as a food source for small livestock. Beds of straw discourage

This file created specifically for MUHAMMAD ZURAIDI BIN ROSLAN

 Mathison 2

weeds and support mushrooms. Flowering plants attract bees, which pollinate fruit trees and

bushes.1

Micro farms include private gardens in yards and on rooftops, community gardens in

vacant or underused lots, hydroponic growing operations in underused buildings, and sustainable

farms that produce cheese, honey, herbs, and other goods for sale and profit.

In cities, micro farms do more than provide food for their owners and others. They also

improve the quality of life for residents by reducing heat islands, clusters of structures that are

warmer than surrounding locations (Harris). Planting crops and fruit or nut trees in vacant lots

freshens the immediate and nearby areas. Instead of using heat-absorbing tar or asphalt to cover

roofs, rooftop gardens keep buildings cool, absorb rainwater, and dillute pollutants in the water

and air.

In rural locations, micro farms can sustain families and provide local employment. For

example, Jean-Martin and Maude-Helene Fortier use low-technology, organic practices in

Quebec to manage a micro farm that realizes about 45 percent profit and produces an income for

the couple and two employees (Fortier 25).

In short, for communities in food deserts, micro farms provide affordable sources of

nutritious food and possible avenues for profitable enterprises.

1
Such practices are called companion planting.

This file created specifically for MUHAMMAD ZURAIDI BIN ROSLAN

 Mathison 3

Works Cited

Ames, Judy. "Ideal Harvests." Farming Times 8 July 2017: 20-22. Print.

Fortier, Jean-Martin. The Market Gardener: A Successful Grower's Handbook for Small-Scale

Organic Farming. Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers, 2015. Print.

Harris, Lionel. Heat Islands. 24 October 2017. Electronic. 12 October 2018.

<http://www.urban.cengage.com>.

Johnson, Nathanael. America's worst food deserts. 28 March 2014.

<http://grist.org/food/americas-worst-food-deserts-map-lovers-edition/>.

Movahed, Neva. Micro Farming Overview. 22 July 2015. <www.lexiconoffood.com>.

United States Department of Agriculture. Food Sources. n.d. Electronic. 12 October 2018.

This file created specifically for MUHAMMAD ZURAIDI BIN ROSLAN